Golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus

Abstract

A golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus assists players develop their short game by demarking the fall line of a green on the low side of a target area or cup. The overlay includes a sight area which is placed over top of a target area or cup. The player shoots upon the green proper, the ball ending upon the overlay. If ending in the sight area, then the player has holed the shot. If the shot ends upon the overlay, but outside of the sight area, then the player has misjudged the break but has used the correct amount of force to properly hole the shot had the break been properly judged. The overlay is useful for practicing on actual greens where a player is apt to play.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus for use by a player seeking to improve his or her short game, said golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus comprising:
 a polymeric expanse devised to position upon a ground surface to demark a target area at which the player seeks to aim a shot, said expanse having a top surface, a bottom surface, a leading edge, and a distal edge;   a sight area disposed upon the top surface proximal the leading edge, said sight area comprising:
 an outer circle having a diameter the size of a standard golf cup; 
 an inner circle nested interior to the outer circle, said inner circle having a diameter the size of a standard golf ball; and 
   at least one line disposed upon the top surface between the leading edge and the distal edge, said at least one line bisecting the sight area and having a terminus at the leading edge;   wherein the sight area is positioned atop the target area such that the at least one line demarks the fall line of the ground surface and the terminus of the at least one line abuts the high side of the sight target area whereby a shot aimed to terminate at the terminus holes the shot into the sight area by action of gravity.   
     
     
         2 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an arced line demarking a section of a circle disposed 12″ from the sight area, said arced line demarking an area upon the overlay within which shots come to rest if hit with the correct force and speed required to hole the shot but for a misplaced aim, wherein the player is apprised of a lie of the land and a corresponding break. 
     
     
         3 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 2  further comprising a horizontal line disposed upon the top surface parallel with the leading edge to bisect the sight area whereby said horizontal line visually assists orienting the overlay to correctly align the at least one line with the fall line. 
     
     
         4 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the arced line comprises demarcations corresponding to the 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 3 o'clock positions relative to the sight area. 
     
     
         5 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the top surface has a coefficient of friction approximately equivalent to the speed of a golf green. 
     
     
         6 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the top surface further comprises a grid whereby the underlying contour of the ground surface is visually accentuated and missed shots coming to rest upon the top surface signal position relative the lie of the land and the break that missed holing the shot. 
     
     
         7 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus comprises 0.020 Styrene having a rubber laminated bottom surface and a transparent laminated top surface. 
     
     
         8 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the top surface includes a printed graphic or photograph. 
     
     
         9 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the apparatus comprises a rubberlike laminated bottom surface and a laminated printable top surface. 
     
     
         10 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 9  wherein the apparatus is approximately 0.0125″ to 0.020″ thick. 
     
     
         11 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the expanse is manufactured of: neoprene, neogreen, lycra, thermocline, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, rubber, cloth, and/or styrene. 
     
     
         12 . A golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus comprising:
 an expanse of thin polymeric or rubberlike material devised for position upon a golf green to demark a target area, said expanse having:
 a top surface; 
 a bottom surface; 
 a leading edge; 
 a distal edge; 
 a pair of lateral edges; 
 a sight area disposed upon the top surface proximal the leading edge; 
 a vertical line disposed upon the top surface running between the leading edge and the distal edge, said vertical line having a terminus disposed at the leading edge and a magnitude that bisects the sight area and extends the vertical line at least 12″ toward the distal edge; 
 a horizontal line disposed upon the top surface running between the pair of lateral edges in parallel with the leading edge, said horizontal line bisecting the sight area crosswise relative to the vertical line; 
 an arced or semicircular line disposed upon the top surface spanned upon the horizontal line between the pair of lateral edges, said arced or semicircular line having a diameter of at least 12″ whereby the arced or semicircular line crosses the vertical line at least 12″ from the sight area; 
 an outer circle disposed upon the sight area, said outer circle demarking an area of a standard golf cup, within which area a shot caused to come to rest therein upslope of the sight area would necessarily sink the shot into a cup were the sight area positioned overlying a cup; 
 an inner circle disposed centrally within the sight area and the outer circle, said inner circle having a diameter the same size as the diameter of a standard golf ball; 
   wherein the expanse is positional upon the golf green with the sight area disposed atop the target area such that the vertical line visually demarks a fall line of the golf green whereby a shot targeted to terminate at the terminus of the vertical line positions a golf ball to roll assisted by gravity into the sight area to signify holing the shot and whereby misplaced shots that come to rest upon the expanse downslope of the target area signal whether the shot was effectuated with the correct amount of drive and/or speed to hole the shot.   
     
     
         13 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the arced or semicircular line further comprises demarcations corresponding to the 9 o'clock, 10 o'clock, 11 o'clock, 12 o'clock, 1 o'clock, 2 o'clock, and 3 o'clock positions relative to the sight area. 
     
     
         14 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the top surface has a coefficient of friction approximately equivalent to the speed of the golf green. 
     
     
         15 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the top surface further comprises a grid. 
     
     
         16 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the apparatus comprises 0.020 Styrene having a rubber laminated bottom surface and a transparent laminated top surface. 
     
     
         17 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the top surface includes a printed graphic or photograph. 
     
     
         18 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the apparatus is approximately 0.0125″ to 0.020″ thick. 
     
     
         19 . The golf green topographic overlay and target assist apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the expanse is manufactured of: neoprene, neogreen, lycra, thermocline, silicone, thermoplastic elastomer, rubber, cloth, and/or styrene.